Classes are taught by one of two Path-certified instructors with years of experience. Volunteers lead for and side-walk next to the rider, depending on the rider's level of independence and confidence. Depending on the length of the lesson, the client may or may not be involved in the grooming and tacking process. Even with brief lessons, the clients are still encouraged to form connections with their horses by giving them pats and encouragement and petting them afterwards to thank them for the lesson. A variety of activities are done from puzzles, to basketball on horseback, to ring tossing. Below are some examples.

Session Payments

Stretching

We begin each lesson by stretching. The client counts (according to their abilities) while maintaining the position. Some are helped to achieve each stretch while others do so unaided.

Photo by Francine Truscello

Weaving Cones

Another frequent activity is cone weaving. This helps teach steering and engages the core. The reins are bifurcated by color so that knowledge of right and left as well as of colors is cemented with each pull of the reins.

Photo by Francine Truscello

Guiding over Poles

When walking over the poles, the client says "over" which both lets the horse know to pick up its feet a bit more and keeps the client engaged in the process. It promotes a sense of pride, because the horse is dependent on the rider for sucess.

Basketball on Horseback: One of the most frequently favored activities is basketball, which helps improve hand-eye coordination. We use a large variety of themed balls to teach different objects to the students, from fake fruits, to large colored dice, to cartoon characters. Before tossing the ball to the rider, we ask the name, color or shape of the ball.

Painting the Horses: Art engages their creativity while they bond with their horse.